1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a damper assembly of the type used to dampen or muffle the sound issuing from a cymbal when it is struck with a drumstick or like instrument in the normal fashion wherein a vibration and movement of the cymbal is stopped, by a clamping assembly thereby serving to dampen the sound issuing therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the playing of percussion instruments, more specifically a drum set, the use of outstanding cymbals is quite common. The cymbals, of course, are played similar to the drums in that they are struck repeatedly by a drumstick or like instrument specifically designed to render from the cymbals, when struck, certain sounds. In certain situations, it is more desirable from a musician's stand-point to effectively muffle or dampen the sound issuing from the cymbal. Typically, in the prior art, this is accomplished by stopping the vibrational movement of the cymbal either by the hand of the player or alternately by some type of mechanical, electrical or like manipulative device serving to engage the moving cymbal and absorb the vibration therefrom.
The Peterson U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,627 discloses an electrically operated rhythm instrument which includes an electronically controlled damper which engages but does not physically grip a cymbal thereby dampening the vibration and the attendant sound issuing therefrom. It should be noted that the dampener structure associated with this device is totally electronically controlled and in effect is part of an organ mechanism.
The Rowe U.S. Pat. No. 2,484,745 is directed to a damper operating mechanism for electric percussion instruments designed for use with an instrument including a plurality of horizontally arranged resonant bars of graduated dimension in order to obtain the desired tone when the bar is struck by a striker. A dampener structure is associated therewith.
Other related prior art devices are demonstrated in the following U.S. patents: Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,562; Miessner, U.S. Pat. No. 1,979,633; Kennedy et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,438; Kondoh, U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,178; Londe, U.S. Pat. No. 3,167,995; Hughes, U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,696; Side, U.S. Pat. No. 2,587,236.
Accordingly, while the above set forth patents and the general knowledge of the prior art demonstrates that dampening cymbals to accomplish certain sounds by mechanical and electrical means is generally known in the art, none of the devices represented in the aforementioned patents or known by the inventor herein relate to a specific device which automatically serves to clamp the cymbal into a relatively immovable position through the use of a clamp assembly wherein a clamp assembly and positioning means are activated by manually and automatic operable switches in an efficient manner without the need for complicated electronic circuitry or hardware equipment to accomplish the above.